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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · bore · mate · squash · bark · saw · scale · bay

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. scale — in music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bore — to tire
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bore — to drill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bark — to shout
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mate — a partner
  24. calf — a young animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com